Improvement in smoking-pipes



E. s. MAY.

SMOKING PIPE.

No. 192,123.- Patenzed .Tune 19,.1a71'.V

N' PETERS. PHOTLITHOGHAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. i)4

rUNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD s. MAY, 0E oAMPBELLToWN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lIN SMOKING-PIPES.'

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,123, dated June 19, 1877 application tiled March 7, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, EDWARD S. MAY, of Uampbelltown, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful 'Improvements in Gripes or Holders for Pipes, Cigars, 825e.; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. I

My invention consists in the construction of a gripe or holder to be used interchangeably with a cigar-holder or clay pipe, its use with the latter beingfor the purpose of obviatin g the severalobjections, hereinafter more fully referred to, to this class of pipes, substantially as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out iu the claims.

In the drawing, Figure l is a longitudina section of my improved gripe, with pipe-stem inserted. Fig. 2 is a similar view, with cigarholder and cigar'inserted into the gripe instead -of pipe; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thecoiled steel-spring tube, which forms part of my improvement.

' Similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts inall the figures.

A is the mouth-piece, which may be made of wood, bone, hard rubber, meerschaum, amber, or any other suitable material, straight or curved, and of any suitable length. a denotes au annular shoulder, encircling the mouth-piece about half an inch from its end, so as to form a rest or abutment for the springf tube B. The latter consists of a coiled metallic tube, as shown in Fig. 3, and is sprung upon the mouthpiece A on the cylindrical part below`the shoulder, in the manner shown in Figs. l and 2, where it will be retained in place by its own tension. The endofrthe mouth-piece projecting into the spring-tube B has a conc-shaped recess, b, and the pipe stem C, which projects into tube B from the other end, is scraped lor cut off, so as to form a corresponding conical point, c, which, by fitting into the recess b, will insure au airtight joint. V

The cigar-holder D is made, preferably, of

hard rubber; but may be made of metal or other material. It is formed, preferably, by rolling a blank into the funnel shape represented in the drawing, the cigar being inserted into the mouth or large end, while the small joint by pressing closely against each other;

or that the edges may be united by soldering, or it may be struck up or molded in one piece, according to the nature of the material eniployed in its manufacture.

1t is universally conceded by the best medical authorities, and others who have investigated the s ubj eet, that the injurious effects of tobaccosmoking are attributable more to the fact that pipes as ordinarily constructed after a short use become charged with foulness and nicotine, than to the direct effects of the tobaccosmoke; and hence the desirability, in a sanitary point of view, of frequently changing the pipe. But clay pipes are the only kind of pipes in the market sufficiently cheap to warrant constant changing, and these are objectionable on account of their brittleness, causing the smoker often to bite the stem ofi', and also on account of the adherence ot' the mouthpiece, when wet, to the lips, unless protected by sealing-wax or a similar coating. By my improvement, however, the. smoker cannot bite the stem in two, nor will it adhere to the lips, as it does not touch them, while at the same time the old pipe may be readily with drawn from the gripe anda new one inserted.

As my improved gripe may be made of costly as Well as cheap material, the use of it will,

if desired, obviate or set oli' the cheap 7? look of clay pipes, which is another objection to their' Having thus described my invention, Iclvaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- As an article of manufacture, the spring pipe gripe or holder herein described, consisting of .the mouth-piece A, having annular shoulder a and conical'recess b, and springtube B, substantially as described, for use interchangeably with a pipe or with a cigarholder, in the manner and for .the .purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ,myown I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

- EDWARD S. MAY. Witnesses:

SOL. A. GAss, JAMES M. KENT. 

